You Let Them Take Care Of You
by WinterSky101
Summary: Keith gets sick and does his best to hide it from the others. Unfortunately, his body doesn't seem to get the memo.


**Title comes from this quote by Jodi Picoult: "When you love someone you let them take care of you."**

* * *

Keith wakes up with a sore throat.

It's not a big deal. It's probably nothing. He spent the day before wiping out a Galra outpost on an incredibly arid alien planet, and his throat must still be dry from it. Or maybe there was something there that triggered allergies. Keith's never had allergies on Earth, but who knows when it comes to space. Or, worst case scenario, it could be the start of a cold. Keith's never been particularly susceptible to colds, which he now thinks might be partially because of his Galra DNA, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if he got one. The few times he's gotten sick, he's always been fairly good at powering through it, so a cold won't slow him down. Assuming this even _is_ a cold, which it may or may not be. Keith will be _fine_.

He dresses, gulps down a big glass of water from the bathroom attached to his bedroom, and hopes that'll be enough to keep his voice from sounding hoarse. Having a sore throat is bad enough. He doesn't want anyone to know. Lance will be insufferable, and Shiro has a tendency to hover. Keith doesn't need to tell anyone. It'll be fine.

"Keith!" Hunk calls when he enters the dining hall. "You're just in time. I don't think I can keep Lance from eating your food for much longer!"

"I'm hungry!" Lance protests. "And this is good!"

Hunk hands a bowl to Keith and points to a pot. "I made oatmeal," he says proudly. "Well, sort of. The closest I could get with the ingredients we have. It's space oatmeal."

Keith just nods and scoops a bit into his bowl. He's not particularly hungry, and he doesn't think his throat is going to love swallowing anything, but he knows he has to eat.

"Ha!" Lance cries, peering into the pot the second Keith steps away. "There's still some left. You said I could have thirds if there was still some left after Keith got his!"

Keith ignores Lance the best he can and goes over to the table, hunching slightly over his bowl and eating slowly. Swallowing does hurt, just as he predicted, but he hides it the best he can. He's got a full glass of water in front of him, thankfully, and that helps with the pain a bit.

"Keith, you ready to spar?" Shiro asks.

Keith forgot that he and Shiro were going to spar together after breakfast, but it's alright. He'll be fine. "Sure," he replies, his voice just a little rough. He gulps down some of the water, hoping it'll help. He eats the last bite of his food, picks up the bowl and puts it away, and then he follows Shiro out of the dining hall.

"You okay?" Shiro asks, frowning. "You seem more quiet than usual."

"Fine," Keith replies. "Just a little tired."

"Are you sure you want to spar?"

"I could beat you in my sleep."

Shiro grins. "Is that a challenge?"

It's not far to the training room, so they get there fairly quickly. "You ready?" Shiro asks, dropping into a ready pose.

"With or without weapons?" Keith asks.

"Do you even have a weapon?" Shiro counters.

Keith pulls out his bayard and his Marmora knife, smirking.

"Of course you do."

"So, with weapons?"

Shiro activates his Galra arm. "Sounds good to me."

Keith runs forward, wishing he was in his armor so he could use his jetpack as a boost. Shiro dodges his swipes, both the one from the bayard and the Marmora knife. Narrowing his eyes, Keith focuses on the knife so it expands into its sword form.

"Oh, we're getting serious, are we?" Shiro teases.

"I don't fight any other way," Keith replies, running forward again. Shiro dodges him a second time, swiping at Keith with his Galra arm. Keith blocks it with his bayard.

They haven't been fighting for very long before one of Keith's breaths sends a tickle through his throat. He knows what's going to happen a second before it does, but there's nothing he can do to stop the coughing fit that rips through his chest without mercy.

"Whoa!" Shiro cries, stopping his Galra arm inches from Keith's arm. "Keith, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Keith pants, still doubled over, when the coughing fit finally lets up. "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Shiro asks, looking at him worriedly.

"I'm sure," Keith replies, straightening. "Must have been some dust or something."

The lie comes out without even having to think about it. There's no reason for him to tell Shiro the truth. He would just be making a fuss over nothing. Shiro would worry, and there's nothing to worry about.

"Okay," Shiro replies, although Keith doesn't think he looks entirely convinced. "Should we stop sparring or-"

"You getting tired already?" Keith taunts.

Shiro relaxes a little. "I'm game to keep going if you are."

Keith picks up his bayard and his Marmora knife. "What are you waiting for, then?"

There are a few more times when Keith feels like he might cough during the sparring, but he fights the urge down. It's nothing. Keith is fine.

He's _fine_.

* * *

The mission is a fairly easy one, and it's not particularly dangerous, so Keith's position as Pidge's bodyguard (which is basically what he is, even if no one will say it out loud) is largely decorative. Pidge is downloading information off the computers, and Keith is guarding her with his bayard out, his other hand empty in case Pidge needs him to unlock anything. He hasn't had to do much defending or unlocking, so he's mostly just been standing there.

At least Pidge doesn't feel the need to fill every moment with inane chatter. It's been two days, and Keith's throat is still sore. He's had a few more coughing fits too, but not in front of anyone. He has been talking less than usual, out of deference to his sore throat, but luckily no one has commented on it. He doesn't think anyone's noticed that anything's wrong.

"How much longer?" he asks Pidge as she types rapidly on her keyboard.

"A couple of minutes," Pidge replies distractedly. "Not long."

Keith nods. A few minutes, then they can get back to the Castle, and then maybe he can sneak a nap. He's felt more tired than usual these past few days, and he's pretty sure that sleep is supposed to be good for your immune system. He'll give it a try.

He feels an odd tingling sensation in his nose, and he recognizes the feeling just in time to hold his breath and do his best not to make a noise. He's not entirely successful.

Pidge's head snaps up. "Oh my god, Keith, you sneeze just like a kitten!"

"I do not!" Keith protests immediately. He's not sure what a kitten sounds like when it sneezes, but he's sure it doesn't sound like him.

"Yes, you do," Pidge replies, looking delighted by this information. "It's so cute!"

"Don't you need to finish whatever you're doing?" Keith demands.

"Just finished," Pidge replies, closing her laptop. "Is that a Galra thing, do you think? I mean, Galra kinda look like cats, so maybe they sneeze like cats too."

"I don't sneeze like a kitten, okay?" Keith snaps.

"If I had the internet, I would show you just how wrong you are," Pidge sighs. "But without YouTube, I don't know how to find a video of a sneezing kitten. Unless I took a video of you, cause you're a young Galra, and Galra are like cats, so-"

"I am not a kitten!"

"I mean, if the shoe fits…"

Keith huffs and ignores Pidge cackling behind him. It doesn't take them long to reach their Lions, and Keith only has to fight three sentries on the way. He climbs into the Red Lion, feeling her welcoming purr in the back of his mind, and flies out of the hangar, Pidge behind him.

 _"Hey guys, guess what?"_ Pidge says immediately.

 _"Did you get the intel?"_ Shiro asks.

 _"Did you find any good spices? Cause I'm still trying to find something that I can use as a substitute for oregano,"_ Hunk adds.

 _"They were in a control center, Hunk,"_ Lance says, sounding confused. _"Where would they find spices?"_

 _"Hey, I'm just keeping my options open,"_ Hunk defends. _"Did you find any spices, though?"_

 _"No,"_ Pidge replies. _"But I did find out something very important."_

"Pidge," Keith groans, knowing where this is going.

 _"Keith sneezes like a kitten!"_

There's silence on the comms for a moment, then Lance starts laughing so hard he has to be faking it at least somewhat. Hunk, at least, is doing his best not to laugh, so Keith will leave him alive after he murders Pidge and Lance.

 _"Guys,"_ Shiro protests, but it's halfhearted. Keith might need to kill him too.

 _"Oh my_ god _, mullet, you can literally never be mysterious and emo again,"_ Lance informs him once he's stopped laughing enough to talk. _"You sneeze like a kitten!"_

"You didn't even hear it," Keith snaps. "And I _don't_."

 _"Are you feeling okay?"_ Shiro asks. _"Do you think you're coming down with something?"_

"I'm fine," Keith replies automatically, because it's just a little cold and that's nothing to make Shiro worry over. "And I don't sound like a kitten when I sneeze."

 _"It doesn't matter either way,"_ Shiro says. Keith is horribly betrayed. Shiro's heard him sneeze before, he _knows_ that Keith doesn't sound like a stupid _cat_ , and yet he's not sticking up for him. Shiro is the worst, and Keith is definitely going to kill him along with Pidge and Lance. He and Hunk will have to form Voltron on their own. Hunk is smart, they'll figure it out.

 _"It totally matters,"_ Lance says, still sounding absurdly gleeful. _"It matters_ so much _."_

 _"Lance,"_ Shiro warns. _"Leave Keith alone. Keith, are you sure you're okay?"_

"Fine," Keith repeats, a little more sharply this time. "I'm fine."

 _"If you say so,"_ Shiro replies, sounding a little doubtful.

 _"Kitten,"_ Pidge snickers, and she and Lance are cackling again.

Keith and Hunk are going to have to figure out how to pilot multiple Lions. Pidge and Lance are going to die.

* * *

No matter how much Keith sleeps, he doesn't ever seem to get any _rest_. Part of that might be because he's never able to sleep very long before he's awoken by a coughing fit or the urge to sneeze. It doesn't lead to particularly restful nights.

Finally, Keith gets up and leaves his room. It's early yet, but if he's not able to sleep, he might as well do something productive. He heads to the kitchen, where he plans to grab a quick breakfast and then head to the training room.

Except, to his surprise, the kitchen is already occupied.

"Hey, Keith!" Hunk says, looking weirdly cheerful considering how early it is. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep," Keith replies, still a little wary. "What about you?"

"Same," Hunk replies. "I figured I would get up and do some baking. If you wanna wait in here for a bit, these cookies should be done soon. And I'm like ninety-nine percent sure they're not scaultrite this time!"

"I was just gonna grab something quickly and then go train," Keith says.

"Oh." Hunk's face falls. Keith feels a little like he's kicked a puppy. "That's fine. Uh, have fun training."

"But those do smell good," Keith adds. "How long until they're ready?"

"Not long," Hunk replies, brightening. "And I was thinking I would try baking some bread. It's basically banana bread, except we don't have bananas, so it's the-closest-I-could-get-to-banana bread." He lifts the bowl of batter that he's mixing. "Wanna help?"

"I'm pretty bad at baking," Keith replies, sitting on the counter. "I've never really done it much before."

"Aw, that sucks," Hunk replies. "I could teach you if you want. My grandma taught me. She's a really good cook. I've tried making a couple of her recipes, but they never turn out right. I mean, they're hard enough to make when I have the right ingredients, but they definitely don't turn out right in space. Do you know I still haven't been able to find a good substitute for heavy cream? Kaltenecker's milk is _almost_ right, but not quite. And it doesn't whip, like, at _all_. I tried making whipped cream one time, and nothing happened. It was like I was just mixing the milk or something. Maybe I'm just not strong enough. I wonder if Shiro could do it with his Galra hand. Or maybe…"

Keith leans back and lets Hunk's words wash over him. Hunk never seems to mind if he ends up talking more than Keith in a conversation. If he were left uninterrupted, Keith thinks he would be willing to keep talking forever.

"Oh, cookies seem ready!" Hunk says. "I hope they're good."

"I'm sure they will be," Keith replies. "Your food is always good."

"Really?" Hunk replies, sounding touched. "I mean, I haven't had the best ingredients to choose from, so I've been worried that the food isn't actually that good. I don't think it's as good as Earth food."

Keith shrugs. "I mostly lived on canned beans and soups for the past year, so this is pretty good."

Hunk looks at him in shock. His eyes looked almost wounded. "You lived on _what_?"

Keith pulls his shoulders in a bit, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. "I'm not good at cooking, and I didn't have a lot of money. Canned stuff is cheap and it lasts a long time."

"Oh my _God_ ," Hunk moans. "Keith, you poor thing."

"Aren't your cookies going to burn?"

"Oh, right!" Hunk grabs an oven mitt and pulls out his tray of cookies. They look pretty good to Keith, and they do smell delicious.

"Now we just need to wait for them to cool," Hunk says. "And while we're doing that…" He stirs his batter a little more, then pulls out a pair of small tins. "I'm gonna make this sort-of-banana bread." He looks up at Keith suddenly. "Have you had banana bread before?"

"Don't think so," Keith replies. The devastated look on Hunk's face makes him wish he'd lied about it.

"Keith, how have you even _lived_?"

Keith feels himself bristle a little. "Look, as long as the food was enough to fill me up, that's all that mattered. Tasting good was a luxury."

Hunk honestly looks like he might cry. "Not anymore," he declares. "I'm gonna make you the most delicious food you've ever tasted."

"You already have," Keith replies.

Hunk's lower lip wobbles and his eyes flood with tears. " _Keeeeeeeeith_ ," he cries, wiping at his eyes. "You are the best, man. You know that, right? You're the best."

Keith knows Hunk said he couldn't sleep, but now he's starting to wonder how much sleep Hunk actually managed to get. The last time Hunk missed a night of sleep, the whole ship found out how weepy and clingy he could get when he wasn't well rested. Keith doesn't really want to deal with that without backup.

"Are the cookies cooled down enough?" he asks, hoping it'll distract Hunk.

Thankfully, Hunk is distracted. "Oh! Yeah, looks like it. Want one?"

"Sure," Keith replies, hopping off the counter.

The second he stands, his head starts spinning. Black spots interrupt his vision, and Keith feels as if he might pass out. He leans back on the counter, gripping it tightly.

"Keith! _Keith_! Are you alright?"

The black spots recede. Keith blinks up at Hunk, who's gotten very close very quickly. "Fine. Just got a little lightheaded there for a second."

"Are you sure?" Hunk demands. "You looked like you were gonna pass out!"

"I'm sure," Keith replies. "I'm probably just tired. I should probably try to sleep again."

"Oh. Okay." Hunk picks up a cookie and presses it into Keith's hands. "For luck!"

Keith looks down at the cookie and smiles a little. "Thanks, Hunk."

"I'll save some kinda-banana bread for you too!" Hunk promises as Keith heads out of the kitchen.

Predictably, the cookie is delicious, and also predictably, Keith isn't able to fall back asleep at all.

* * *

"Going to the training deck again?"

Keith closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He's _really_ not in the mood to deal with Lance right now. "Something wrong with that?"

Lance shrugs. "Just seems like you spend all your time in there. Other people might want a chance to train too."

"The training deck is big enough for more than one person," Keith retorts. "Anyway, doesn't seem like anyone else wants to train right now, so what does it matter?"

"You could also, like, not train all the time," Lance suggests. "I'm pretty sure hanging out with us wouldn't kill you."

"What does it matter to you?" Keith repeats. "If you want to train, I can do something else."

"I actually have other things I do with my life, so-"

"Yeah, your combat skills make that clear."

"Ex _cuse_ me? As if you could even hit a target!"

"I-"

Before Keith can finish his retort, the low-level nausea he's been feeling all morning spikes. He gags and frantically looks around for something to puke into.

Lance is quicker. Keith supposes you can't be friends with Hunk for as long as Lance has without knowing what to do when someone is about to puke. Almost before Keith knows what's happening, a beautiful Altean vase is shoved into his hands. Keith has enough time to think that he probably shouldn't puke in this, and then he throws up.

Lance, again showing that he knows what he's doing, holds Keith's hair out of his face as he retches into the vase. Keith has barely eaten today, so it doesn't take long before he's thrown up everything in his stomach. Still, bile keeps coming up, burning his throat as he dry heaves.

"You done?" Lance asks when Keith's heaving finally comes to a stop.

"Think so," Keith rasps.

Lance takes the vase out of his hands and sets it aside. "C'mon," he tells Keith, leading him into the nearest bathroom. Keith is too exhausted to fight him, so he follows.

Lance wets a towel and hands it to Keith. "Wipe your mouth," he says, already reaching for a cup. Keith does as he's told, wiping his mouth slowly with the wet towel. The cool water feels good on his skin.

"Here," Lance says, pressing a cup of water into his hands. "Rinse and spit a couple of times before you swallow."

"Thanks," Keith says, swishing the water around in his mouth and spitting into the sink.

Lance watches him. "You okay now?"

The nausea has retreated back to its previous lower levels, and Keith doesn't feel any worse than he did earlier, so he nods.

"Are you sick or something?"

"Don't think so," Keith lies, spitting out another mouthful of water. He swallows his next sip, the cold water heavenly against his raw throat. "Maybe it was something I ate."

Lance stares at him for a moment, eyebrows raised, then shakes his head. "Uh, no. You don't just throw Hunk's cooking under the bus like that. Come on, dude! Not okay!"

"What-?"

"I'm gonna go tell Shiro," Lance says, sounding very much like an elementary school tattletale.

"No, you don't have to-"

"Look, if you hadn't insulted Hunk's cooking, _maybe_ I would keep this secret for you," Lance says. "But after that? No quiznaking way."

"Lance-"

"Go brush your teeth," Lance says, heading out of the bathroom. "Shiro was doing something with Allura on the bridge, right?"

" _Lance_ -"

Keith tries to follow Lance out of the bathroom, but a wave of dizziness forces him to lean against the doorway for a few precious moments. By the time it goes away, Lance is already gone. Keith considers following him to the bridge, but quickly decides it's not worth it. Once Lance tells Shiro that Keith might be sick, nothing Keith can say will stop Shiro from fussing over him. Keith knows this from experience. So the best way to avoid this situation is to avoid Shiro.

Simple.

Going to the training deck is too obvious. Going to the Red Lion's hangar is pretty obvious too, but as long as Keith is in his Lion, no one else will be able to get in. It's the best option he can think of.

It takes longer than usual for Keith to get to the hangar, since he keeps getting dizzy again. Finally, though, he makes it there and taps Red's paw.

"Hey. Let me in?"

Red lowers her head and opens her mouth. Keith steps in, heading up to the cockpit. He can feel Red's confusion and concern as he crumples into the chair.

"I'm fine," he says, curling up into the least uncomfortable position he can manage. "Just tired."

Red doesn't seem to believe him, but that's okay. As long as she doesn't let anyone else in, it's fine. Keith squirms a bit more in the seat, then he closes his eyes. It's far from comfortable, but he's exhausted, and it's not long before he falls asleep.

* * *

The blaring alarms wake Keith, startling him so much he falls out of the chair. He feels _horrible_ , bad enough it's comparable to the time he crashed his unresponsive Lion into a barren planet after taking on Zarkon one-on-one, but he still staggers out of Red's cockpit and up to the bridge. It's not until he's almost there that he realizes he's not wearing his armor, but he can get changed later. He just needs to get to the bridge.

And it would be helpful if his head stopped spinning.

"-Blue Lion and the Green Lion will get the transports out of danger while the Black Lion and the Yellow Lion draw the Galra's fire," Allura is saying as he steps through the doors. "Everyone, get to your Lions and wait to deploy on my signal."

"What about me?" Keith asks, his voice raspier than he thought it would be.

"You're staying here," Shiro says immediately.

"Shiro-!"

"You're clearly sick, Keith," Shiro says, his voice firm but gentle. "Lance said you threw up earlier. We can handle this one ourselves. Go get some rest."

"But I can help!"

"Keith, this isn't a suggestion. I'm ordering you to sit this one out."

Keith shuts his mouth with an audible click. There's a hint of guilt on Shiro's face, but he starts heading to the Black Lion's hangar before Keith can say anything else. The others all go as well, with Hunk giving Keith a pat on the shoulder and a "get well soon, buddy." Then it's just Keith, Allura, and Coran on the bridge, and even though Keith is pretty sure he has a fever, his chest feels cold.

"Should you get some rest?" Allura suggests gently. "Shiro said it can help human immune systems to sleep."

"I guess," Keith says, knowing even as he says it that he's too keyed-up to sleep. Still, he goes to his room anyway and lies down on the bed, closing his eyes and trying to quiet his mind.

It's futile. He's never been good at quieting his mind, even when he's not on a flying castle in the middle of a firefight that he's not allowed to join. He manages to stay in his bed until he feels the Castle rock with a direct hit. Only then does he throw himself out of bed and head back up to the bridge.

"Coran, return fire!"

"I'm doing my best, Princess, but we're not in a good position!"

"Let me help," Keith says.

Both Allura and Coran turn to face him. "Keith, you should be in bed!" Allura cries.

"Let me help," Keith repeats. "You need my help."

Allura shoots Coran a look. "Alright," she finally says. "But here, not in your Lion. You can lay down some covering fire."

Keith nods, heading over to his station and sitting down. He powers up the little fighter with a press of a button, then he sends it flying out into space.

Laying down covering fire is fairly easy, especially given how small his little fighter is. When there's big targets like the Castle and four of the Voltron Lions, no one pays attention to a little red disk. Of course, Keith isn't doing as much damage as the Castle or the Lions, but at least he's doing _something_.

"They're retreating!" Allura finally cries after what seems like an endless battle. Keith is aware that it hasn't been that long, and he's also aware that he didn't do much to help - his hit rate was _miserable_ \- but he's exhausted and his head is pounding and it's taking every ounce of willpower he has just to stay upright. Given all that, he's taking this as a victory.

 _"Hunk and I are going to join Pidge and Lance to escort the refugee transports,"_ Shiro says over the comm. _"We'll head back to the Castle once they're safe."_

"Call us if you need any help," Allura replies, then she steps away from her post and turns to Keith. "Thank you for your help, Keith. But shouldn't you be resting?"

"Probably," Keith replies. His head is spinning, and his vision keeps going double. This is bad, he knows it, but hopefully he can sleep it off. "I'll go back to my room, I guess."

"Do you need anything?" Allura asks. "A drink, perhaps, or something to eat? I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what to do with this sort of Earthling illness."

"I think I just need to sleep," Keith says. He turns off his little fighter, then he stands.

Immediately, his head spins faster, and he feels himself swaying on his feet. He thinks Allura might say something, but he doesn't hear it. He can see the shock and concern on her face, and then his legs give out and the world goes black.

* * *

"Keith!" Allura cries.

She gets there before Coran does, lifting Keith's head and pillowing it in her lap. "Oh, Coran, he's so _hot_! Earthlings aren't supposed to be this hot, are they?"

"Let me see, Princess," Coran says. He gently lays a hand on Keith's forehead, then pulls it away quickly. "Seems like he's got quite a fever! I'll get him down to the infirmary and see if I can't fix it up."

Allura allows Coran to lift Keith out of her lap, twisting her hands together nervously. "Will he be alright?"

"I should think so," Coran replies. "Just got to figure out exactly what's wrong, and then we can get him fixed up in no time."

"I'll tell the others," Allura says, lifting one hand to her earrings. "Then I'll move the Castle. We should get out of here before the Galra come back with reinforcements."

"Keith and I will be in the infirmary, if you need us," Coran replies, walking off the bridge. Keith is surprisingly light in his arms, and he's far too hot. Whatever illness he's got, Coran has the feeling it's fairly serious. He did his best not to let Allura see that, but alone, he can admit that he's worried.

"Well," he says aloud when they reach the infirmary, "let's see what you've gotten yourself into this time, Number Four."

Coran does a scan of Keith's body and frowns at it. The first thing he does is cross-reference the infection in his body with other ones that that Paladins have encountered, but it's not the same as any of those. Coran's frown deepens. So far, the humans have proved remarkably resilient in the face of alien disease. He supposes this could be a human disease that none of the Paladins have had, but…

And then Coran remembers that this Paladin isn't fully human, and an idea pops into his head.

A quick scan confirms what Coran was already suspecting. The disease in question isn't human, it's Galra. Based on the Castle records, it starts off minor, and takes about a full movement to reach the point where Keith is.

"You should have said something, Number Four," Coran murmurs, looking through the medical supplies to find the ingredients he needs to make the proper medicine. Unfortunately, the longer this particular disease is left untreated, the more difficult it is to treat in general, and while it's not normally fatal, Coran isn't about to just let Keith suffer through it until his body heals itself. If Keith had said something when he started feeling sick, Coran would have been able to heal him up quickly, but as it is, he'll have to put together a much more complicated cure. And once it's done, he'll have to run a test or two to make sure it won't react unfavorably with Keith's mixed heritage. Then, hopefully, he'll be able to administer the cure and fix this whole mess up.

Keith lets out a soft moan, his eyes fluttering open. "C'ran?" he slurs. "Where…"

"You're in the infirmary, Number Four," Coran replies, going to Keith's side. "You collapsed on the bridge. Looks like you're running a fairly high fever."

"'M fine," Keith mumbles.

"You most certainly are _not_ ," Coran retorts. "Luckily, the Castle has records of the illness you've gotten. Give me a varga or so to whip up a cure, and I'll have you back to normal."

"Mm." Keith's eyes drift closed again.

Coran brushes Keith's sweaty hair out of his face, then goes back to his ingredients. He has to admit, seeing Keith like this is a big unnerving. He's often quiet, but he's never quiet like _this_. Keith's quiet has always been a strength and a shield, but this is a weakness. Coran wonders for a moment how no one realized he was sick for so long, but then he remembers how distant Keith's been for the past movement, and the pieces fall into place.

"You were hiding this deliberately, weren't you?" Coran asks, looking over at Keith. He shakes his head. "Why would you do that?"

There is, of course, no response, but Coran is going to ask Keith again when he's awake to hear the question.

Allura bursts into the infirmary just as Coran is finishing up the cure. "How is he?" she demands.

"He'll be fine," Coran replies. "Just a case of didix."

"Didix?" Allura repeats. "Isn't that a Galra disease?"

"Apparently, Keith's Galra half is just as susceptible to it as full-blooded Galra," Coran replies. "But I think the cure should work just as well on him as it would for any other Galra. I need to run a few tests, then I can give it to him, and he'll be back to normal in a few ticks."

Allura lets out a sigh and sinks into the seat next to Keith's bed. "Good," she says, reaching for Keith's hand and gripping it in both of her own. "It's… wrong, to see him like this. I don't like it."

"He should be back to normal in less than a varga," Coran replies, holding up the cure and peering at it. "Just need to test this quickly, then I can give it to him."

"I'll tell the others," Allura says. "They're all very worried. They should be back to the castle in about fifteen doboshes."

The Paladins must push their Lions to the brink, because they're back in ten doboshes instead. Coran is just finishing up the first test on the cure when the four of them spill into the infirmary.

"How is he?" Shiro demands immediately, making a beeline to Keith's side. Allura steps away, relinquishing her place to Shiro without a word.

"He'll be fine," Coran assures him. "He's got a Galra disease called didix. Rather similar to your human influenza, from what I've heard about it. Give me a few more doboshes and this cure will be ready for him."

"A Galra disease?" Pidge repeats. "But we haven't had physical contact with any Galra for almost a week."

"Judging by Keith's condition, I'd say he's been sick for about a full movement," Coran replies.

"A movement?" Lance repeats. "But that's like… five quintants! He's been hiding this for five quintants?"

"The Galra base," Shiro says softly. "That must have been where he got it. And then he had that coughing fit the next day…"

"And he was sneezing a few days later," Pidge adds.

"Oh, man," Hunk groans. "He's been sick this long and we didn't even notice? Guys, we're the worst friends."

"If I know Keith, he's been doing everything in his power to make sure we don't notice," Shiro says grimly.

"He was super freaked when I said I was gonna tell you about him throwing up before," Lance says. "And then he ran off and hid. He definitely didn't want anyone to know."

"Well," Coran says, looking at the results of his second test, "this should fix him right up. Shiro, would you hold his head up for me?"

Shiro carefully cradles Keith's head, letting Coran pour the cure down his throat. Keith lets out a little groan, but he swallows it, and he's already starting to look better once Shiro lays him back down.

"This should fix him up pretty quick," Coran says. "But he'll probably need to sleep."

"I can carry him to his bed," Allura offers. "He'll be more comfortable there than he will be here."

"That's a good idea," Coran replies. "Just let him sleep as long as he needs to. When he wakes up, he should be… what was that saying you taught me, Lance? Right as brains?"

"Right as rain," Pidge corrects while Lance snorts with laughter.

Allura scoops Keith up into her arms. "Should someone stay with him, just in case?" she asks.

"I'll do it," Shiro says immediately. "Anything specific I should be looking for?"

"The cure should work normally even though he's half human," Coran replies. "But call me if there's anything out of the ordinary."

Shiro nods and follows Allura out of the infirmary. Coran looks at the others, who all look a little lost.

"Well!" he says, clapping once. "From what I remember when I've seen other Galra with didix, it makes you very hungry once you get over it. Shall we go make some special treat for Keith?"

"Oh." Hunk's eyes go wide. "Uh, I can do that myself. You don't need to worry about it."

"I can help," Lance adds quickly.

"So can I," Pidge adds. "We're good, Coran, thanks."

Coran shakes his head fondly as the Paladins scramble for the kitchen. He still doesn't understand what they have against his cooking, but he's not above using that to his advantage when he has to. Hopefully, this will keep them from worrying too much while Keith sleeps.

Once Keith wakes, Coran has the feeling there's nothing he can do to keep the others from jumping on him immediately, but to be entirely fair, he thinks Keith deserves it.

* * *

Keith wakes up in his bed, even though the last thing he remembers is being on the bridge. He tries to sit up, but his arms feel weak and shaky.

"Easy," a familiar voice says. Shiro appears in his line of sight a moment later, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You've been sleeping for almost a full day."

"A _day_?" Keith repeats, his voice so raspy it's barely there. "What-"

"You had a disease called didix," Shiro explains, helping up into a sitting position. "It's basically the Galra equivalent of the flu. Coran said you probably got it when we wiped out that Galra base." Shiro levels Keith with a disappointed look that immediately makes Keith feel about two inches tall. "Care to explain why you've been hiding it from us since then?"

"I-" Keith rasps, then his voice dissolves into coughing. Shiro presses a glass of water into his hands and helps him take a few sips. The water soothes his raw throat, which Keith supposes must mean his "didix" or whatever has been cured. No matter what he's done, he hasn't been able to soothe his throat all week long.

"Is that better?" Shiro asks, when Keith's drank the entire glass of water. He wants more, but he knows he'll throw up if he drinks too fast, so he nods. "Good," Shiro says, setting the water on the table by the bed and crossing his arms. "Now, I'm still waiting for an explanation."

"I didn't think it was a big deal," Keith says. His voice is still a little hoarse, but just barely.

"You didn't think it was a big deal?" Shiro repeats. "Keith, you were sick for a _week_."

"I could handle it," Keith protests. "I didn't want to complain about it for no reason."

"Coran says he could have fixed you up almost immediately if you'd gone to him when you first realized you were sick," Shiro scolds. "Instead, he had to wait until you _passed out on the bridge_. Do you see how ridiculous that is?"

"I didn't think it was a big deal!"

"Even when it kept getting worse?" Shiro shakes his head. "Keith, I thought you trusted us."

It sounds almost like an accusation.

"I do!" Keith protests. "You know I trust you, Shiro."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

 _Because I didn't think it was a big deal._

 _Because I didn't want to worry you._

 _Because I've never had someone to rely on before and I'm still not sure how to do it._

"I'm sorry."

Shiro sighs and pulls Keith into an embrace. "I don't need you to _apologize_ ," he says, holding Keith against his chest, his fingers curling into Keith's hair. "I just want you to know that we're here to help, if you need it."

"I know," Keith replies in a whisper, clinging to Shiro just as tightly as Shiro is holding him.

The moment is ruined when Keith's stomach rumbles. Loudly. Keith pulls back, feeling himself blush a bit, but Shiro just laughs.

"Yeah, Coran said you would probably be hungry when you woke up. I think Hunk made something special for you, wanna go check it out?"

"Something special for me?" Keith repeats. Hunk makes special dishes all the time, but the idea that he made something for Keith specifically is… odd. But in a good way.

"He made it yesterday and hasn't let anyone touch it because he's saving it for you," Shiro replies, standing. He offers Keith a hand to pull himself upright, and then wraps his arm around Keith's waist when he stumbles.

"I'm okay," Keith says, trying to stand on his own despite how wobbly his legs feel.

Shiro sighs. "Keith. We literally just talked about how you can ask for help if you need it. Come on."

Keith swallows his pride and nods, letting Shiro help support him as they leave the room. The more his body wakes, the more strength he starts to regain, so by the time they reach the kitchen, Keith is walking almost entirely under his own power again.

"Keith!" multiple voices yell in unison when he comes through the door, and before Keith knows it, he's being bombarded by hugs. Only Shiro's solid presence behind him keeps him from being knocked to the floor.

"Never again, Mullet," Lance says firmly from where he's clinging to Keith's right side.

"I'm so sorry we didn't notice that you were sick!" Hunk cries from where he's clinging to Keith's left side.

"If you ever pull anything like that again, I'll make you regret it," Pidge threatens from where she's clinging to Keith's waist.

"I'm afraid you worried us all quite a bit," Allura says, standing a few steps away with a smile on her face. "But I'm glad to see you recovered."

"Thanks," Keith replies. "Uh, guys, could you let go?"

"No," Pidge mumbles into Keith's stomach.

"I'm kinda hungry," Keith says, which is enough to make Hunk, at least, let go of him in a flash.

"Oh, right! Coran said you'd be hungry. I made you something special! Guys, get off him so he can eat."

"Ugh, fine," Lance groans, letting go of Keith.

"Pidge, please," Keith says, looking down at the top of her head.

"Only cause Hunk asked," Pidge says, finally letting go. Keith's lungs are glad of it.

"Okay," Hunk says as Keith sits down. He sets a covered platter down in front of him, then he dramatically pulls the cover off.

"Is that mac and cheese?" Keith asks, eyes going wide.

"Shiro said you liked it," Hunk says, sounding a little smug. "Try it."

Keith doesn't need any more prompting. He picks up his spork and takes a bite. It tastes like the homemade mac and cheese that he vaguely remembers his dad making him when he was little. For a horrible second, Keith thinks he might cry, but he controls himself before any tears fall.

"Is it good?" Hunk asks.

"So good," Keith replies, shoving the next bite into his mouth.

"I told you I would make you the most delicious food you've ever tasted," Hunk says with a satisfied grin.

"Slow down," Shiro recommends, sitting down next to him. "You'll throw up if you eat too fast."

"Throw up _again_ ," Lance corrects. "And I'm not holding your stupid mullet out of your face this time if you make yourself puke."

Keith slows down, although it takes considerable effort not to just stuff the entire bowl into his mouth. He's _ravenous_ , and this is delicious. He just wants to devour it, but he also wants to not puke, so he controls himself.

"Okay," Lance says, latching himself onto Keith's side when he finishes the bowl of mac and cheese. "We're doing a movie night, and we're all going to snuggle, and you are going to join in if we have to duct tape you to the couch."

"Do we even have duct tape?" Keith asks.

"I'm sure the Alteans have something like duct tape," Lance dismisses.

"Actually," Shiro cuts in, "Coran wanted to see Keith quickly once he woke up. Just to run a quick test to make sure he's fully cured."

Lance pouts. "Okay, _fine_. But after that, movies and snuggling." He pokes Keith in the chest. "And you're gonna enjoy it, Mullet. Hear that?"

Keith just rolls his eyes. Whether he enjoys it or not, he's certainly not going to admit it to Lance. "Is Coran in the infirmary?" he asks Shiro.

"Should be," Shiro replies. "I'll go with you."

"I can walk down to the infirmary by myself, Shiro," Keith scoffs.

"Keith-"

"I can walk with him," Allura offers. "I need to speak with Coran anyway."

Shiro looks at Allura, then visibly relents. "Okay. I'll go help get movie night set up, then. If you don't come, I won't stop Lance from looking for you."

"Fine," Keith huffs. He starts down the hall and Allura quickly follows him.

"We were all quite worried about you," she says. "Shiro especially. He hardly left your side while you slept."

"Sorry," Keith says, feeling a little awkward. He wasn't expecting anyone to be this upset.

"I must admit, you terrified me when you fainted on the bridge," Allura adds. Keith almost wants to protest the word "fainted," but he has to admit, it _is_ pretty much what happened. "And all the others were frantic when I told them what happened."

 _I said sorry, what more do you want?_ Keith thinks irritatedly, but he swallows the words with effort. "Is there a point to this, Princess?" he asks, which he figures is marginally more polite.

"Merely that we all care for you," Allura replies. "And we do not like seeing you ill. I would ask that you allow us to help you next time you feel unwell, so things don't escalate the way they did this time."

Keith ducks his head. "Sorry," he says again, even though he knows it's a weak apology. "I didn't realize how much you'd worry."

Allura stops in the middle of the hallway. "Oh, _Keith_ ," she sighs, then almost before he knows it she's pulled him into a tight hug. "Of course we'd worry," she says as he tentatively hugs back. "You are very dear to us."

"I am?" Keith says, which he definitely didn't mean to say out loud.

"Of course you are," Allura says firmly. She doesn't let go of him. Keith is starting to wonder how long this hug will go on when Allura finally takes a step back.

"I ought to bring you to Coran."

"I thought you had to talk to him too," Keith accuses.

"Oh." Allura blinks. "Yes. Of course."

Keith might not be the best at reading people, but even he can tell that's a lie. Judging by the look on Allura's face, she knows how obvious it was and is waiting to be called out, but Keith swallows the retort on his tongue. She was worried. They were all worried. They want to help.

He still can't quite believe that everyone was that worried about _him_ , but considering they apparently were, he'll try to be patient about it. Patience _does_ , after all, yield focus.

Allura brings Keith to the infirmary, then hangs back. "I'll talk to Coran after you're done," she says with a slightly awkward smile. She's clearly still waiting for Keith to call her out for lying, but Keith just nods and enters the infirmary.

"Ah, Keith, my boy, come in," Coran calls. "How are you feeling? Back to normal?"

"Uh, yeah," Keith replies, walking over to Coran. "Shiro said you wanted to see me?"

"I just wanted to run a few tests," Coran replies, patting the cot next to him. Keith hops up onto it, feeling like a little kid with his legs swinging in the air. "Didix is a Galra disease, and the cure is made for Galra, so I need to make sure it didn't affect your human half in a way we weren't expecting. Hybrids can sometimes get even more affected by diseases than purebloods! And then, sometimes they don't get as affected, or they don't get it at all. It's always hard to tell what's going to happen."

"Okay," Keith says, allowing Coran to scan him with a few devices and run a quick test on him. It's a quick procedure, and Coran smiles at the end of it.

"I don't see any traces of didix left in your system. Seems like you're over it!"

"Thanks," Keith says. He hops down from the cot, but lingers. "Uh, and thanks for everything. I heard how you helped, and… Thanks."

"Of course," Coran says, his voice soft. He puts a hand on Keith's shoulder. "You really ought to have told me how you were feeling earlier. I could have dealt with it much more quickly."

"Sorry," Keith says, looking down.

"You don't need to be sorry," Coran says. "But remember it for next time, alright? No need for you to be sick and miserable for longer than you need to be!"

"Thanks," Keith says again. "Uh, apparently Lance is doing a movie night. Are you…?"

"I may join in," Coran replies. "Although I don't understand those Earth movies of yours."

"I don't understand a lot of them either," Keith admits.

"Now, Altean films, those were masterpieces," Coran says in a tone that Keith knows means he's about to go on for far longer than anyone wants. "Why-"

"I should go before Lance comes looking for me," Keith interrupts. "Uh, bye."

He's out of the infirmary before Coran can say another word. Allura is still waiting outside. "Coran's free, if you want to talk to him now," Keith offers.

"Oh, yes, of course," Allura replies. "And are you…"

"No more didix," Keith replies. "Coran says it's completely gone."

"Wonderful," Allura says with a smile. "Well, I suppose I'll see you soon. Lance has told me that my presence is mandatory for the movie night, so I will find you."

"I'll see you there, then," Keith says, heading to the lounge.

"Keith!" Lance cries when Keith enters the lounge. "Come on, sit down. What do you want to watch? Pidge has a couple of options on her computer."

Pidge shoves her computer in Keith's face. Keith looks over the list, frowning. "I don't think I've seen any of these movies," he admits.

Lance stares at him with wide eyes, then looks at the rest of the team. "Guys. _Guys_. Which of these movies is the most important for Keith to see _right now_?"

There's a brief argument during which only two pillows are thrown (which is fairly good for them) before Lance, Hunk, and Pidge are all able to agree that _The Princess Bride_ is probably the most important movie for Keith to watch. Shiro, diplomatically, says he's fine with anything, so they set up the movie without further ado.

They're only just starting when Coran and Allura enter. "Ooh, Pidge, pause!" Lance calls. Pidge obediently pauses the movie. "Okay," Lance says, "now it's time to organize the snuggling."

"Organize the snuggling?" Keith repeats.

"I call being next to Keith!" Hunk calls.

"Traitor," Pidge hisses. "You _knew_ I was going to call that."

"I have two sides," Keith offers, confused.

"Shiro's already called one side," Pidge replies. "Shiro, I'm draping myself across you to be with Keith."

"Hunk, I'm doing the same with you," Lance says.

"Wait, what?" Keith looks around. "We're doing _what_?"

"We're snuggling," Lance says. "Shiro, if we have to pin him down, you're gonna do it."

"He won't need to be pinned down," Shiro says. "Keith likes snuggling."

" _Shiro!_ " Keith hisses in a strangled whisper.

"Oh my _god_ ," Lance says, his face lighting up. "Oh my god, Mullet, you-"

"I hate all of you," Keith groans.

"But you don't hate snuggling!" Lance cries, draping himself over Hunk and halfway in Keith's lap. "You _looooooooove_ it."

"Shiro said 'like,' not 'love,'" Keith protests, trying to wiggle out from under Lance. Unfortunately, Shiro - the traitor - sits down on his other side and firmly sandwiches Keith between him and Hunk. Pidge drapes herself over Shiro and puts her head next to Lance's in Keith's lap.

"Do I get a choice-"

"No," four voices tell Keith in unison.

"What is this, exactly?" Allura asks, still standing in the doorway and staring.

"Snuggling," Lance calls. "Come on and join us, Princess."

Keith squirms a little. "This is-"

Shiro leans his head on Keith's head. "Let us have this," he says in a quiet voice, and, okay, Keith can put up with it for Shiro's sake.

"Okay," Lance calls. "Everyone get comfortable, we're going to start the movie. Allura, Coran, are you two getting comfortable?"

Allura and Coran sit down next to Pidge, still looking a bit confused by the snuggle pile on top of Keith. To be fair, Keith's still a bit confused by it too.

"We're comfortable," Allura says.

"Perfect," Lance says. "Pidge, hit it!"

Pidge stretches out one foot and hits the space bar on her computer with her toe. The movie starts up again, and everyone settles in to watch.

Keith might not understand why the others thought it was so desperately important that he watched _The Princess Bride_ , but it's entertaining enough. And the snuggling, although he would never admit it in a million years, is actually pretty nice.

The nicest part, though, is knowing that everyone in this room actually cares for him. Keith might still not entirely understand _why_ , but he knows that they do, and that's more than enough.


End file.
